Garden advice for MayBangor Daily News - 4/28/2012. By Reeser Manley – Soil temperature is the most important factor in deciding when to direct sow main-season crops and when to transplant seedlings. Many of our summer vegetables are tropical in origin and will not grow well until the soil has sufficiently warmed.

Government keeps picking winners, losers on the farmBangor Daily News - 4/28/2012.Op-ed by Jack Hedin – Here’s the first thing to understand about federally subsidized crop insurance: In an era when direct payments to farmers are increasingly difficult to justify, crop-insurance subsidies are becoming the main way in which public policy supports commodity crop farmers.

Growing numbers of wineries giving Mainers a taste of the midcoastBangor Daily News - 4/28/2012.By Heather Steeves – Union: When Elmer and Holly Savage started growing grapes here 10 years ago, there were only a handful of wineries in Maine. Now there are eight wineries in the midcoast area alone. The area seems to be at the center of the state’s burgeoning wine industry – despite, not because of, its profitability.

Crop yields are only part of the organic vs. conventional farming debateU.S. Food Policy - 4/27/2012.By Parke Wilde – The journal Nature recently had an interesting meta-analysis – or quantitative literature review – about yields from organic agriculture. The accompanying summary says, "conventional agriculture gives higher yields under most situations." This is probably true. Yet, even environmentalists are overreacting to the study.

Sunday, 1 p.m., 769 Congress Street, Portland Maine. Join Chef Frank Giglio as we learn about and make mead! In this class you will learn the step by step method for preparing your own medicinal mead at home. Each student will start a batch of mead during the class and be able to take it home to ferment and later enjoy. Fee information and registration here: http://www.mofgastore.org/product.sc?productId=270&categoryId=5. Questions? Email alibby@mofga.org.

Tuesday, Maine Civic Center, Augusta. MOFGA offers presentations and discussion groups covering a wide range of sustainable agriculture subjects. Presentations are free and open to the public, and are held in the Washington/York Room, the Piscataquis/Sagadahoc Room, and the Oxford Room. No pre-registration required. MOFGA also has an information exhibit during all three days of the Trades Show. MOFGA members are encouraged to attend the Association's Annual Meeting, which will be held from 1:30 to 3:00 in the Piscataquis/Sagadahoc Room.

Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. Instructor is David Smith of Sparky's Apiaries. Our beekeeping short course will cover the essentials to get you going in the world of beekeeping. Fee: $50 for MOFGA members; $75 for non-members. More information.